Bobs and Blazers
There we were. Racks and racks of brightly colored suits splayed out before us. Skirts or pants to match each hue. Some even came with a blouse!
My mom and I used to take nearly-annual trips to New York. When I was younger and poorer in the TV news biz, this also served as a time to shop!
There we were at the Macy's flagship store. There was a major sale! I was paycheck to paycheck so this was nice! My mom was also helping me with funds so this was nice for her too. (Side note: thanks mom!)
Shortly after I returned from that trip I would be anchoring a bunch of newscasts in Minneapolis. This was a big deal. I'd been an anchor in Wausau, WI and filled in on the anchor desk in Minneapolis, but this was a longer maternity leave fill-in stint. My reporter clothes just wouldn't make the cut. I needed to look the part. I was also crazy young so I really believed looking the part was crucial. I felt so inexperienced compared to the counterparts around me...well...because I was.
But how would we get these suits back home? I mean the shoulder pads alone could fill up a carry-on? We decided to have the store ship them. No problem.
Days later. Problem.
I needed to anchor and had nothing to wear and the suits hadn't arrived. There likely were other options, but my boyfriend at the time (he gets mad credit for this one even though this relationship would not last) worked at UPS. He was able to track down the exact truck my skittles-colored suits were sitting in, and he got them for me!
Phew.
I recently thought of this story because my husband came home with a question from a co-worker. She said something along the lines of, "as a feminist, I wonder why so many newscasters now wear dresses." Good point!
First of all, not all do. Not all look that traditional newswoman part. Don't believe me, read this: Shape, "10 Badass Women Who Made 2016 Better By Clapping Back at Body-Shaming Haters"
Secondly, I favor dresses to pants for a few reasons.
1) It's easier. One item and done. I hate having to match pants to blazers with tops and then find shoes that allow the pants to lay right.
2) I have longer hair and blazers just cause it to get bunched up and weird. This is likely why people who sported Trix-colored blazers also wore bobs. Move over "coverage you can count on" we've got "bobs and blazers." (I should've marketed that tagline in the early 2000s) By the way, sometimes I do wear sweaters or tops.
3) Mama is waiting for her child-bearing hips to be less child-bearing now that she's done with kiddos. Seriously though, my pants just don't fit well anymore. I've got curves. Pants were made for 5'7" women with a teenage boy frame. I invite you to prove me wrong.
4) I believe I'm tainted by those suits. Seriously, I now just don't like many blazers.
There recently was this exception. You know the saying, "wear the clothes, don't let the clothes wear you"? Well, I finally found a blazer I wanted to wear in everyday life. Maybe it's because the style, cut and colors are better these days. Or maybe I'm just wearing what I want to wear instead of trying to achieve the look I perceive I'm supposed to have. I mean I've seen a lot of women who look amazing in all sorts of blazers. I think it's really just this simple: you do you!
